This course describes the protective measures clinical personnel should follow to prevent from being exposed to bloodborne pathogens in the workplace. It was developed in 1999 to address the ongoing concern that health care workers were being exposed to these biohazardous agents. In 1996 over 800 occupational bloodborne infections occurred. A review of accident and incident reports at the time this course was developed indicated that ongoing training was required to increase the awareness of health care workers of the risk of exposure to blood borne pathogens and reduce health care worker exposure to potentially infectious materials.

Objectives

Describe the disease associated with three blood borne pathogens, their signs and symptoms, epidemiology, and risk of seroconversion after exposure.

Describe in rank order the most common routes of exposure to blood borne pathogens in health care workers.

Describe the appropriate personal protective equipment to wear when potentially exposed to a blood borne pathogen (or potentially infectious material) as well as the appropriate personal hygiene practices to follow.

Demonstrate how to safely handle and dispose of sharps.

Describe the action to take if exposed to potentially infectious material.

Registration

There is no registration fee associated with this activity. To declare your attestation that you have completed this course on the Yale Environmental Health & Safety website and take the evaluation, please select "Content & Tests" tab above.

Accreditation

Yale Continuing Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Yale School of Medicine designates this internet activity for 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

In accordance with the Standards of Commercial Support issued by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Yale CME requires all faculty to disclose any conflicts of interest to ensure CME activities are free of commercial bias.